Civics Assessments

All high school students must take and pass a United States civics test to meet the social studies course requirement to earn a traditional diploma. In addition to a civics test, districts are also required to implement a project-based civics assessment one in grades four through eight (4-8) and once in grades nine through twelve (9-12). Schools where every senior earning a regular diploma score of 85 percent (85%) or higher on the United States Civic test will be acknowledged by the department as a United States Civic All-Star School.

Overview: Project-Based Assessment in Civics

T.C.A. § 49-6-1028 requires all LEAs to implement a project-based assessment in civics at least once in grades four through eight (4-8) and at least once in grades nine through twelve (9-12). State Board of Education Rule 0520-01-03-.07 requires districts to submit verification of implementation of the project-based assessment to the Department of Education.

Overview: Civics Test

T.C.A. § 49-6-408 requires students to take and pass the civics test to meet the social studies course credit requirements to earn a full diploma upon graduation from high school.

The civics test is composed of questions from the one hundred (100) questions that are set forth within the civics test administered by the United States citizenship and immigration services to persons seeking to become naturalized citizens. (Subsection a)
LEAs must prepare a test for its students composed of at least 50 questions— at least twenty-nine (29) questions on American government, at least sixteen (16) questions on American history, and at least seven (7) questions on integrated civics. (Subsection b)
Students must correctly answer at least seventy percent (70%) of the questions to receive a passing score on the test. (Subsection d)

Schools in which all seniors earning a regular diploma score 85 percent or higher on the United States civics test will be recognized by the department as a U.S. Civics All-Star School.

For more information, view State Board of Education Rule 0520-01-03-.07.

Civics All-Star Schools

Schools in which all seniors earning a regular diploma score 85 percent (85%) or higher on the United States civics test will be recognized by the department as a United States Civics All-Star School.

2023

Alcoa High School
Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute
Bartlett High School
Beech Sr. High School
Big Sandy School
Bluff City High School
Bristol Tennessee High School
Campbell County Comprehensive High School
Cannon County High School
Central High School of Hamilton County
Central High School of McMinn County
Central High School of Morgan County
Central Magnet High School
Chattanooga High School for Creative Arts
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences Upper
Cheatham County Central
Chester County High School
City University School of Independence
Claiborne High School
Clarkrange High School
Clay County Adult High School
Clay County High School
Cloudland High School
Coalfield School
Collierville High School
Collinwood High School
Cookeville High School
Creek Wood High School
Crockett County High School
Cumberland County High School
Cumberland Gap High School
De Kalb County High School
Dickson County High School
Dobyns- Bennett High School
Dyersburg High School
Eagleville School
East Ridge High School
EB Wilson School
Fairley High School
Fayette Ware Comprehensive High school
Fayetteville High School
Frank Hughes School
Gallatin Senior High School
Gary Hardin Academy
Gatlinburg Pittman High School
Giles County High School
Gordonsville High School
Greenback School
Greeneville High School
Greenfield School
Hampton High School
Hancock High School
Hancock Middle School
Happy Valley High School
Harpeth High School
Harriman High School
Haywood High School
Hendersonville High School
Henry County High School
Henry County Virtual Academy
Hillcrest High School
Holloway High School
Houston County High School
Humboldt JR & SR High School
Ivy Academy
Jellico High School
Lewis County High School
Lexington High School
Liberty Creek High School
Lincoln County High School
Livingston Academy
Lookout Valley Middle/High School
Loretto High School
Marion County High School
Marion Virtual High School
Mc Ewen High School
McKenzie High School
McMinn High School
McNairy County Virtual School
Merrol Hyde Magnet School
Midtown Educational Center
Midway High School
Milan High School
Milan High School Academy
Millington Central Middle High School
Monterey High School
Northeast Prep Academy
Northview Senior Academy
Oak Ridge High School
Oakdale School
Obion County Central High School
Oliver Springs High School
Oneida High School
Pearl-Cohn High School
Phoenix High School
Pickett County High School
Pigeon Forge High School
Portland High School
Red Bank High School
Rhea County High School
Richard Hardy Memorial School
Riverside Academy
Roane County High School
Roane County Virtual Academy
Rockwood High School
Sale Creek Middle/High School
Science Hill High School
Scott High School
Scotts Hill High School
Seigel High School
Sequoyah High School
Seymour High School
Signal Mountain Middle/High School
Soddy Daisy High School
South Fulton High School
South Pittsburg High School
Station Camp High School
Stone Memorial High School
Sullivan East High School
Summertown High School
Sycamore High school
Tennessee Online Public School at Greeneville
Tennessee Online Public School Bristol
Tennessee School for the Deaf Upper School
The Howard School
Trousdale County High School
Tyner Academy
Unaka High School
Upperman High School
WayneCounty High School
West Carroll Jr/Sr High School
West Ridge High School
Westmoreland High School
White House High School
Whitwell High School

2021

Alcoa High School
Arlington High School
Bailey Station Elementary
Bartlett High School
Battle Academy
Big Sandy School
Blackman High School
Camden Central High School
Campbell County High School
Center for Creative Arts
Central High School
Central Magnet School
Chance Transitional School
Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy
Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts
Cloudland High School
Collierville Elementary
Collierville High School
Collierville Middle School
Compass Community School, Midtown Campus
Creek Wood High School
Crosswind Elementary
Daniel Boone High School,
David Crockett High School
Dickson County High School
Dresden High School
Eagleville School
East High School
Gordonsville High School
Greeneville High School
Halls High School
Hamilton County Virtual School
Henry County High School
Henry County Virtual Academy
Hixson Middle School
Holloway High School
Hope Academy
Humboldt Jr/Sr High School
Ivy Academy
Jellico High School
Lookout Valley Middle High School
Marion County High School
McConnell Elementary
McMinn Central High School
McNairy Central High School
Memphis Virtual School
Milan High School
Northview Senior Academy
Oakdale School
Ooltewah High School
Ooltewah Middle School
Red Bank High School
Sale Creek Middle High School
Schilling Farms Elementary
Sequoyah High School
Signal Mountain Middle High School
Soddy Elementary
South Pittsburg High School
Spring Creek Elementary
STEM School
Sycamore Elementary
Tara Oaks Elementary
Tellico Plains High School
Tennessee High School
Tennessee Online Public School (TOPS)
Tennessee School for the Blind
Tennessee Virtual Learning Academy
Thrasher Elementary
Tyner Middle School
Unaka High School
University School
West Collierville Middle School
Westview High School
Whitwell High School

2020

Schools were unable to earn the U.S. Civics All-Star School designation for the 2019-20 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, extended school closures, and related Legislative action (see Public Chapter No. 652).

2019

Adamsville Jr/Sr High School
Alvin C York Institute
Anderson County High School
Arlington High School
Avon Lenox High School
Bartlett High School
Beech High School
Big Sandy School
Blackman High School
Bolton High School
Bradley Central High School
Brentwood High School
Brighton High School
Camden Central High School
Cascade High School
(Memphis) Central High school
Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central High School
Central Magnet School
Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy
Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts
Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences - Upper
Cheatham County High School
Chuckey Doak High School
City University
City University School of Independence
Claiborne High School
Clarksburg School
Clay County High School
Clinch School
Clinton High School
Coffee County Central High School
Collierville High School
Community High School
Cookeville High School
Cordova High School
Cornersville High School
Covenant Academy (Private School)
Craigmont High School
Creek Wood High School
Crockett County High School
Cumberland Gap High School
Daniel Boone High School
David Crockett High School
DeKalb County High School
Dickson County High School
Dyersburg High School
E.B. Wilson High School
Eagleville School
East Nashville Magnet High School
East Robertson High School
Elizabethton High School
Fairley High School
Fayette-Ware Comprehensive High School
Forrest High School
Gallatin High School
Gatlinburg-Pittman High School
Germantown High School
Gibson County High School
Giles County High School
Goal Academy High School
Gordonsville High School
Greenback Public School
Greenbrier High School
Greeneville High School
Grundy County High School
Halls High School
Hamilton County Collegiate High at Chattanooga State
Hardin County High School
Harpeth High School
Harriman High School
Hendersonville High School
Henry County High School
Hillcrest High School
Hollis F. Price Middle College High School
Holloway High School
Houston High School
Humboldt JR&SR High School
Hume-Fogg High School
Hunters Lane High School
Huntingdon High School
Independence High School
Ivy Academy (Chattanooga)
Jo Byrns High School
Lake County High School
LaVergne High School
Lawrence County High School
Lincoln County High School
Loretto High School
Loudon High School
Madison Oaks Academy
Maplewood High School
Marion County High School
Martin Luther King High School
Maryville High School
McEwen High School
McGavock High School
McNairy Central High School
Meigs County High School
Memphis Academy of Health Sciences High School
Memphis Academy of Science & Engineering
Memphis Business Academy High School
Memphis School of Excellence
Merrol Hyde Magnet School
Middle College @ Austin Peay State University
Middle College High School
Midway High School
Milan High School
Millington Central High School
Mitchell High School
MNPS Middle College High School
Monterey High School
Munford High School
Nashville Big Picture High School
North Greene High School
Northview Senior Academy
Northwest Prep Academy
Oak Ridge High School
Oakland High School
Obion County Central High School
Oliver Springs High
Oneida High School
Overton High School
Perry County High School
Pickett County High School
Pigeon Forge High School
Portland High School
Power Center Academy High School
Raleigh-Egypt High School
Ravenwood High School
Renaissance High School
Ridgeway High School
Ripley High School
Riverdale High School
Riverside High School
Roane County High School
Rockwood High School
Sale Creek Middle/High School
Sequoyah High School
Sevier County High School
Seymour High School
Sheffield High School
Shelbyville Central High School
Siegel High School
Smith County High School
Smyrna High School
South Fulton High School
South Gibson County High School
South Greene High School
South Pittsburg High School
Southwind High School
Station Camp High School
STEM School Chattanooga
Stewarts Creek High School
Summertown High School
Summit High School
Sumner County Middle College High School
Sumner County Middle Technical College High School
Sweetwater High School
Sycamore High School
Tellico Plains High School
Tennessee High School
Tennessee Online Public School
The Academy at Hickory Hollow
The Excel Center
Tullahoma High School
University School
Upperman High School
Waverly Central High School
West Carroll Junior Senior High School
West Greene High School
Westmoreland High School
White House High School
White Station High School
Whitehaven High School
Whites Creek High School
Whitwell High School

2018

Anderson County High School
Arlington High School
Arlington High School
Avon School
B. T. Washington High
Bartlett High School
Beech Senior High School
Big Sandy School
Blackman High School
Bradford High School
Brentwood High School
Bruceton Central High School
Camden Central High School
Campbell Loughmiller Academy
Cascade High School
Central Magnet School
Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts
City University
Claiborne High School
Cleveland High School
Clinton High School
Coffee County Central High School
Community High School
Cookeville High School
Cordova High School
Cornersville High School
Cumberland County High School
Cumberland Gap High School
Dobyns-Bennett High School
Douglass High
DuBois High School of Arts & Technology
DuBois High School of Leadership & Public Policy
Dyersburg High School
E B Wilson Virtual High School
Eagleville High School
East Hickman High School
East Nashville Magnet High School
Elizabethton Academy
Elizabethton High School
F. I. Denning Center of Technology and Careers
Fairley High School
Fairview High School
Fayette-Ware Comprehensive High School
Forrest High School
Fred J Page High School
Freedom Preparatory Academy
Gallatin Senior High School
Gary Hardin Academy
Gatlinburg-Pittman High School
Gibson County High School
Greenback School
Greeneville High School
Grundy County High School
Halls High School
Hamilton County Collegiate High at Chattanooga State
Hancock Middle/High School
Hardin County High School
Harriman High School
Hickman County High School
Hillcrest High School
Hollis F. Price Middle College
Holloway High School
Hope Academy
Houston County High School
Houston High School
Humboldt JR&SR High School
Hume-Fogg
Hunters Lane
Huntingdon High School
Independence High School
Jefferson County High School
KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School
Kirby High
L & N STEM Academy
LaVergne High School
Lewis County High School
Loudon High School
MADISON OAKS ACADEMY
Marion County High School
Martin Luther King, Jr. Magnet High School
Maryville High School
McKenzie High School
Meigs County High School
Memphis Academy of Science & Engineering
Merrol Hyde Magnet School
Middle College High
Middle College High School
Midtown Education Center
Midway High School
Milan High School
MNPS Middle College High School
Monterey High School
Nashville School of the Arts
Northeast Prep Academy
Northview Senior Academy
Oakland High School
Oliver Springs High School
Peabody High School
Pearl-Cohn High School
Pigeon Forge High School
Portland High School
Power Center Academy High
Red Boiling Springs School
Renaissance High School
Rhea County High School
Ridgeway High
Ripley High School
Riverdale High School
Riverside High School
Roane Academy
Roane County High School
Rockwood High School
RT Fisher Alternative School
Sequatchie County High School
Sequoyah High School
Sevier County High School
Seymour High School
Siegel High School
Smyrna High School
South Gibson County High School
South Pittsburg High School
Station Camp High School
STEM School Chattanooga
Stewart County High School
Stewarts Creek High School
Stone Memorial High School
Summit High School
Sumner County Middle College High School
Sumner County Middle Technical College High School at Portland
Sweetwater High School
Tellico Plains High School
Tennessee High School
Tennessee Online Public School
The Academy at Hickory Hollow
The Soulsville Charter School
Tullahoma High School
Upperman High School
Westmoreland High School
Westwood High
White House High School
Whitehaven High
Whites Creek High School
Whitwell High School

All local education agencies (LEAs) will have the opportunity to apply for the United States Civics All-Star award during the summer of the current school year. The Director of Schools or his/her designee must complete and submit the application by the deadline to be considered for this designation. The United States Civics All-Star application reports the LEAs satisfactory compliance with the civics test and project-based assessment requirements found in state statute and State Board of Education rules.  

The application for the United States Civics All-Star award will open in July 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements for civics assessments in Tennessee?

Pursuant to state law, students are required to participate in the following civics assessments:

A project-based assessment in civics is required at least once in grades four through eight (4-8) and at least once in grades nine through twelve (9-12). The project-based assessment is designed to measure the civics learning objectives contained in the social studies standards and to demonstrate understanding and relevance of public policy, the structure of federal, state and local governments and both the Tennessee and the United States constitutions.
A United States citizenship and immigration services civics test is required to be taken and passed in order to meet the social studies course credit requirements to earn a regular diploma upon graduation from high school. Schools in which all seniors earning a regular diploma score 85 percent or higher on the U.S. civics test will be recognized by the department as a U.S. Civics All-Star School.

Where can I find the application to apply for the United State Civics All-Star Award?

All districts will have the opportunity to apply for the United States Civic All-Star award during the summer of the current School year. The Director of Schools or his/her designee must complete and submit the application by the end of June annually. The application will be shared in the Commissioner’s Update for Directors each year.

What documentation is required to identify students who have taken and passed the U.S. civics test in order toto be recognized by the department as a “U.S. Civics All-Star School”?

LEAs will report the name of each school in the district that had 100% of their students pass the test with an 85% or higher on the civics compliance form . Once the form is submitted, the department will review and verify all schools that meet the requirements. All U.S. Civics All-Star Schools will be recognized on the department’s website.

What is the required format of the civics assessments?

The project-based assessment shall be developed by the LEA and should engage students in learning essential knowledge and skills through a student-influenced inquiry process structured around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks. The project-based assessment should measure the civics learning objectives contained in the social studies standards and provide students the opportunity to demonstrate understanding and relevance of public policy, the structure of federal, state and local governments, and both the Tennessee and the United States constitutions.
The U.S. citizenship and immigration services civics test should be prepared by each district and should be comprised of at least 50 questions with at least 29 questions on American government, at least 16 questions on American history, and at least 7 questions on integrated civics. Questions must come from the U.S. citizenship test administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Students must correctly answer at least 70 percent of the questions on the test to earn a passing grade. A student may participate in the test as many times as necessary to earn a passing grade.

Are the civics assessments graduation requirements?

All public school students, are expected to participate in the project based civics assessments at the appropriate grade levels. A passing grade on the project-based assessment is not a requirement for graduation. Each LEA may determine how a student’s grade on the project based civics assessment will be counted in the classroom or district.

All seniors must take and pass the U.S. civics test, beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, in order to meet the social studies course credit requirement to earn a regular diploma upon graduation. Each LEA may determine how a student’s grade on the U.S. civics test will be counted in the classroom or district, but a passing score on the civics test must be noted on a student’s transcript.

Are students with an IEP required to participate in the civics assessments?

Project-based civics assessments must be completed by a student who has an IEP if the IEP team has determined the assessment is appropriate. The student shall take the project-based civics assessment with the accommodations and/or modifications that are deemed necessary by the IEP team.

The U.S. civics test shall be administered to a student who has an IEP with the accommodations and/or modifications that are deemed necessary by the IEP team

Federal and state law stipulates that that the requirements for an alternate academic diploma align with the requirements for a regular high school diploma.

Are adult students enrolled in an Adult Education Program or Adult High School required to pass the U.S. civics test requirement?

No. Adult students are exempt from state required assessments, including the U.S. civics test requirement.

Contact

Visit the department’s Governor’s Civics Seal webpage to learn about civics education initiatives. With questions, contact Civics.Initiatives@tn.gov